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The reason for their widespread acceptance is simple. “Truck cranes can really do any kind of work,” said JJ Grace, Grove’s product manager for truck-mounted cranes. “What’s great about these cranes is that they can be used in different applications. They are quite flexible machines.”
Truck cranes are in use from all types of general to specialized construction projects to remote sites at places like wind farms and oil fields. “They tackle a variety of lifting scenarios quickly and efficiently,” related Lance Rydbom, director product management & engineering at Tadano. “Truck cranes can also handle multiple jobs a day because they can be set up and taken down quickly.”
There is another factor in the popularity of truck cranes as well. Their acceptance, manufacturers noted, is driven by their lower initial and operating costs.
“Truck cranes can be a more cost-effective option compared to an equivalent all-terrain crane, giving customers comparable lifting capacities with a less complex chassis,” Rydbom said.
That’s especially true among crane rental and service fleets, noted Andrew Soper, product manager for all-terrain and telescopic truck cranes at Link-Belt. “Those operations are primary users of truck cranes because their many uses help accelerate a return on investment,” he said. “It’s also a reason that truck cranes are preferred to all terrains in the same category or machine type.”
Valuable Advice
Soper also advised fleets that are buying or considering truck cranes to take advantage of manufacturer and dealer expertise to ensure regulatory compliance. “Specifications have to address roadability in different markets,” he explained further. “There are different regulations for oversized vehicles in different states and provinces, which adds another layer of complexity.”
Lance Rydbom also pointed out how working with a crane manufacturer and dealer can benefit crane operators when they are specifying and sourcing truck cranes. “Having a close working relationship with a manufacturer and dealer means the crane owner will have guidance when making a purchasing decision, ensuring they get the right crane for their fleet,” he said. “In addition, they will have outstanding local support to work through service and parts needs.”
Grove Truck Cranes Navigate Roads With Ease
Lift-All Crane Service’s distinctive baby blue cranes have been a common sight on the highways and jobsites of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa ever since the company was founded in 1977. The long-time Grove customer is also now fielding another two truck cranes from nearby dealer Aspen Equipment to fill gaps in its fleet, namely a TMS9000-2 and a TMS500-2.
“We had 80- and 120-ton cranes so there was always this ambiguous middle ground, but the TMS9000-2 has filled that void,” said Lift-All’s Owner Joe Hylok. “One of the great things about the crane is its ability to wear a lot of hats. If we have a heavier pick, we can add extra counterweight, meaning that’s an extra 12,000 pounds the crane doesn’t have to carry on the road. We can just take the crane along with one small support truck for the extra counterweight.
“We also work in a lot of residential neighborhoods where you have roundabouts, narrow streets, etc.,” Hylok continued. “The machine is nimble enough to access these areas. It also performs picks without any issues. Previously, we would always put a jib on our 80-ton crane when setting pools, but even without a jib on the TMS9000-2 we can set a pool at 150 feet.”
Hylok also gave high marks to the truck crane’s driving experience. “Typically, every time you get in a bigger crane, the further you get away from base, the more of a hindrance it becomes,” he said. “Half of the battle is just getting the crane to the jobsite but with this crane, the cab is comfortable and it roads almost as nicely as a tractor-trailer.”
With Lift-All working across many different sectors, including roofing, cell towers, trusses, steel erection and HVAC, the flexibility, along with easy setup with the Grove TMS9000-2 is very useful. The company also gives high marks to the truck crane’s enhanced drivability, largely due to its compact dimensions, maneuverability and light roading weight afforded by the removable counterweight feature that enables up to 48,500 pounds to be hydraulically withdrawn from around the superstructure cab, simplifying transport.
Tadano Truck Cranes Meet a Variety of Needs
Sims Crane & Equipment Co., which has been serving the heavy equipment needs of contractors for over six decades with crane leasing and sales across Florida, had looked forward to the U.S. introduction of Tadano truck cranes. “This is a space we have been needing to update in our fleet,” said Jackson Sims, vice president.
As the first company to own a Tadano GT-800XL-2, Sims added the 80-ton machine to its large fleet of Tadano all-terrain cranes, and immediately put the truck crane in service at its Tampa location.
With a 5-section, 154.3-foot power boom, a 33.1-foot/58.1-foot bi-fold jib and a self-removable counterweight, Jackson noted that the GT-800XL-2 is designed to provide superior utilization and a fast return on investment due to its lower cost of ownership. With low axle weights, narrow transport width and long boom design, he added, the new Tadano truck crane can easily get special permitting for transport, making it ideal for taxi crane service.
Davis Crane Service has been serving the hoisting needs of Texas contractors and businesses for over 60 years. When the Tadano GT-1200XL-2 truck crane debuted in the U.S., the company became the first to purchase the new model. Sourced through Tadano’s Texas distributor, Scott Macon Equipment, the GT-1200XL-2 is now part of the company’s well-established taxi crane service.
The GT-1200XL-2 features a 5-section, 167.3-foot main boom and a 33.1-foot/58.1 foot bi-fold jib. The truck crane is designed for easy special permitting for transport with low axle weights, a narrow transport width and a long boom.
Davis Crane Service also noted that the GT-1200XL-2 will provide a lower cost of ownership and a fast return on investment in its tax crane business. “We wanted a GT-1200XL-2 because it fits our customers’ needs in the 110- to 120-ton market,” said Wes Dowd, director of operations & equipment.
Link-Belt Truck Cranes Offer Wide Versatility
Wagstaff Crane Service has discovered an exceptionally versatile machine. With the Link-Belt 120|HT telescopic truck crane, the company claims it can meet multiple needs in both the urban environment of Salt Lake City and up steep mountains across Utah.
Wagstaff is a crane services provider serving Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and Nevada from its base in Salt Lake City. For that reason alone, the company requires a crane that can operate in different environments and easily travel through the different types of terrain in the region.
“At first, I was curious how it was going to handle the mountains,” said Jordan Wagstaff, who is the primary operator of the 120|HT. “But it’s a great city crane and on-highway crane. It has plenty of power to go up and down the mountains and drives very well. It drives down grades great, too. A lot of cranes don’t have the braking power of the Link-Belt with its disc brakes and Jacobs engine brake.”
The company has been working on the development of a new and extensive ski resort, known as Mayflower Mountain Resort. The resort is situated on a 6,800-acre property outside Park City, close to the former site of the 2002 Winter Olympics. The Mayflower MWR Hotel, the resort’s flagship hotel, is being built amid the snow with the 120|HT actively involved in the construction process.
On the job, where city streets often limit using full outrigger spread, the Link-Belt V-CALC outrigger system has been put to work by Wagstaff. With a partially extended outrigger function, Jordan Wagstaff noted that the technology provides a great deal of variability on many different jobsites.
At the Mayflower resort hotel, the 120|HT lifts panel forms into place for the building, sets columns and stockpiles shoring materials. The crane also lifts tarps, swinging them outside the building so crews could get to the site safely and maintain their production schedule.
Another project Wagstaff was involved with is the Baltic Point office building, Utah’s first mass timber commercial building. The 136,000-square-foot, timber-framed building will feature five floors and two levels of structured parking with electric vehicle charging.
“We know there is a demand for this class of crane, and the 120|HT truck crane can step up and help us with 120-ton work with 164 feet of boom,” Wagstaff said. “And it’s easy enough to move it and step down for a 90-ton or 110-ton job if we are short. It covers three or four different class ranges for us at no extra cost for what it would be to run a 90-ton rig, so we keep it busy.”
